Filter cartridge for tobacco products



Feb. 21, 1967 BADERTSCHER 3,304,944

FILTER CARTRIDGE FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS Filed May 4, 1964 FIG-2 INVENTOR.

ALLEN E- BADERTSCHER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,304,944 FILTERCARTRIDGE FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS Allen E. Badertscher, 18300 Ash St., EastDetroit, Mich. 48021 Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,423 4 Claims. (Cl.131-267) This invention relates to a condensing and absorbing cartridge,for the condensation and absorption of tobacco tar, nicotine, moisture,and condensable chemicals or chemical compounds present in tobaccosmoke, including acids and resins. Such condensation and absorptionoccurs prior to its being inhaled by smokers of cigarettes, cigars, ortobacco contained in pipes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a filter cartridge,including a multiplicity of condensing and absorbing ribbons, eachcomposed of a heat absorbing element upon which is attached a greatnumber of smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers of a small.diameter and short length.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification,claims and accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the condensing and absor-bing cartridge,partly broken away and showing one end of a cigarette to which thecartridge is connected.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one such ribbon.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section through one of the condensing andabsorbing ribbons of FIG. 1, showing the smoke restricting and moistureabsorbent fibers attached to the heat absorbing element.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 2, eX- cept that thesmoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers are kinked.

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary section showing the attachmentof the smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers to the heatabsorbing element.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross section of a condensing and absorbingmodified cartridge, showing a broad spirally wrapped condensing andabsorbing ribbon placed within the cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross section of a condensing and absorbingmodified cartridge, showing a broad condensing and absorbing ribboncrimped together within the cartridge.

FIG. 7 is a partial section, greatly enlarged, cut parallel to a heatabsorbing element and through a few smoke restricting and moistureabsorbent fibers, showing the smoke in dash lines as it works throughand around the smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, of another modification.

FIG. 9 is a similar view of another modification.

It will be understood that the above drawing shows several preferredembodiments of the invention, and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

While the present cartridge may be used in pipes, cigarette holders, andcigar holders, the description of the invention will be directed inparticular to its application to cigarettes.

While there has been many attempts to remove tobacco tar and nicotinefrom the smoke of a cigarette prior to inhaling, as in present dayfilter cigarettes, no satisfactory method of removing said tobacco tarand nicotine has yet been devised, to completely remove all the tobaccotar and nicotine from the smoke, and yet allow the taste of the smoke ortobacco to come through the filter tip. The tobacco tar and nicotinepresent in the smoke of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe tobacco is in avaporized state. Some filter tips consist of many fine cellulose acetatefibers bunched together so that the smoke has to pass through "ice andbetween said fibers. These may not remove all of the tobacco tar,nicotine, acids, and resins because said fibers are not directly in thepath of the smoke.

While some filter tips on present day filter cigarettes make an attemptto trap or block the tobacco tar and nicotine by kinking the fibers, sothat more fiber surface is directly in the path of the smoke, these donot succeed in trapping and holding a sufficiently large amount oftobacco tar and nicotine. The microscopic droplets of tobacco tar andnicotine contain a certain amount of heat,

which keeps them in a vaporized state facilitating escape past thefilter. It is only after removing this heat that these microscopicdroplets of tobacco tar and nicotine will be able to condense and beabsorbed by the fibers.

The placing of a heat absorbing element within a filter tip by itself,or in conjunction with a moisture absorbing element, results inabsorbing only a very small amount of heat, because the heat absorbingelement starts to absorb heat the moment the smoke is drawn past it. Itcontinues to absorb heat until the temperature of the heat absorbingelement reaches that of the smoke. Thereafter, the heat absorbingelement loses its ability to absorb any more heat In the presentcondensing and absorbing cartridge, the smoke is required to passthrough and between the said restricting and absorbing fibers, which areperpendicular to the path of the smoke. This results in a large numberof microscopic restrictions provided by the adjacent fibers.

As the smoke is drawn through and between two adjacent fibers, it ismicroscopically restricted. This results in a very slight increases ofpressure between said fibers. This increase of pressure, though small,results in a corresponding increase of temperature. This temperatureincrease of the smoke between two adjacent fibers is immediatelyabsorbed by the heat absorbing element, which is at a temperature lowerthan that of the smoke that is restricted between the said fibers. Asthe smoke continues on through this condensing and absorbing cartridge,it repeatedly encounters more restricting adjacent fibers which continueto remove more heat from the smoke.

This continuous removal of heat from the smoke as it continues toencounter more restricting adjacent fibers results in a build-up of heatin the heat absorbing element. This in turn raises the temperature ofthe heat absorbing element. Such build-up of heat in the heat absorbingelement is hereafter referred to as: heat accumulation of the heatabsorbing element. This accumulation of heat in the heat absorbingelement is necessary if this condensing and absorbing cartridge is towork efiiciently.

The removal of heat from the smoke continues until the microscopicdroplets of tobacco tar and nicotine have lost enough heat so that whenthe said microscopic droplets strike or collide with any of therestricting and absorbing fibers thereafter, they are immediatelyabsorbed.

'Also, when any droplets happen to strike or touch each other, they formlarger droplets which in turn are absorbed when they strike or collidewith the restricting and absorbing fibers, further on.

The restricting and absorbing fibers will block and trap some solidsmoke particles which impart the taste of the smoke to a person smokinga cigarette with the present cartridge on it. However, the majority ofsuch solid smoke particles will pass unhindered through the restrictingand absorbing fibers.

The cartridge 10, FIG. 1, consists of a cylindrical wrapper 12, ispreferably made of ordinary cigarette paper and is of the same diameteras the cigarette to which it is to be attached. Contained in the wrapperis a multiplicity of condensing and absorbing ribbons 13. These consistof a heat absorbing element 14, FIG. 2, to which are bonded a largenumber of transversely extending restricting and absorbing fibers 15.The cartridge is fastened to cigarette C by the outer wrapper 11, whichencircles both the cartridge 10, and part of the cigarette. Element 14may be made from a suitable heat conducting metal, such as aluminum.

In the cross-sectional view, FIG. 2, the restricting and absorbingfibers 15 of rayon flocking or the like, are bonded to the heatabsorbing element 14 by a thin layer of adhesive material 16. A rubberbased adhesive, an epoxy resin or an alkalid enamel or paint may be usedas the adhesive.

In FIG. 3, the restricting and absorbing fibers 15A are kinked to helpspace the fibers apart. These are bonded to the heat absorbing element14, through the use of a thin layer of adhesive material 16.

In FIG. 4, the restricting and absorbing fibers 15 are shown embedded inthe adhesive material 16 which coats the outer surface of the heatabsorbing element 14. Said fibers are held in position until theadhesive sets by the attraction of the fibers to the heat absorbingelement using an electrostatic charge of electricity.

In FIG. the filter medium is in the form of a condensing and absorbingribbon 17A, which is as broad or wide as the cartridge is long. It isspirally wrapped about the axis of cartridge 10, so that the heatabsorbing element 14 is always parallel to the path of the smoke, andthe transverse restricting and absorbing fibers 15, FIGS. 2 and 4, areperpendicular to the path of the smoke.

In FIG. 6, the condensing and absorbing ribbon 17B, of the type shown inFIG. 5, is as broad or wide as the cartridge 10 is long. It is cri-mpedtogether within the wrapper 12, so that the heat absorbing element 14 isalways parallel to the path of the smoke and the transversely extendingrestricting and absorbing fibers are perpendicular to the path of thesmoke.

In FIG. 7, the path of the smoke 19, referred to as the smoke stream, isshown working its way through and between the restricting and absorbingfibers 15B, 15C, 15D, and 15E, denoting the compression of the smokebetween fiber 15E and fiber 15B, between fibers 15E and 15D, betweenfibers 15D and 15C, and between fibers 15C and 15B. The dot and dashlines 19 represent the smoke stream.

The heat absorbing element 14 may be of any physical shape, such as awide ribbon, FIGS. 56, a narrow ribbon or a strip, FIG. 1.

The ribbon type of heat absorbing element may be made of a thin andnarrow ribbon of plastic having a microscopic coating of aluminum. Othermaterials may be used for the heat absorbing elements, as long as it canabsorb and retain the heat, when smoke is drawn past it and radiate theheat very rapidly when the smoke is not drawn past it.

Other variations of this condensing and absorbing cartridge may beconstructed by replacing the heat absorbing elements of FIGS. 2, 5, and6, with a non-heat absorbent restricting and absorbing fiber support 20,with transverse fibers 21, FIG. 8. The heat absorbing elements 22 wouldthen be separate. Such condensing and absorbing cartridge would consistof many restricting and absorbing ribbon assemblies. Said assembliesconsist of a thin and narrow non-heat absorbing ribbon support 20, uponwhich is placed a great number of restricting and absorbing fibers 21 ofsmall diameter and short length. Intermingled with the restricting andabsorbing ribbon assemblies are the heat absorbing ribbons 22 ofaluminum or any other high heat absorbing material. The heat absorbingribbons 22 are mixed with the restricting and absorbing ribbonassemblies 20-21, so that they can absorb the heat that accumulatesbetween the adjacent restricting and absorbing fibers.

A cartridge for filtering action only can be made by reducing thediameters of the restricting and absorbing fibers 23, FIG. 9, so thatthey are very fine and placing them on supports 24 consisting of heavierfibers running lengthwise of the cartridge. Such supports are parallelto the path of the smoke and the fine fibers perpendicular to the pathof the smoke.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A cartridge for the condensation and absorption of tar, nicotine,moisture, and condensable chemicals and compounds present in tobaccosmoke comprising:

a cylindrical body;

a multiplicity of condensing and absorbing ribbon assemblies nestedwithin the body;

each ribbon assembly consisting of a thin and narrow moisture absorbingribbon support;

a plurality of smoke restricting and moisture absorbing fibers at theirone ends bonded to and projecting from said supports; and

a plurality of elongated spaced heat absorbing ribbons of a high heatabsorbing material, intermingled with said ribbon assemblies;

said heat absorbing ribbons and the smoke restricting and moistureabsorbing fiber ribbon supports being parallel to the body axis and thepath of smoke;

said smoke restricting and moisture absorbing fibers being perpendicularto the path of said smoke.

2. In the cartridge of claim 1, said fibers being kinked.

3. In the cartridge of claim 1, said fibers projecting from both sidesof said supports.

4. In the cartridge of claim 1, said heat absorbing elements being ofaluminum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,995 2/1954Troy 131-1O 2,768,913 10/1956 Hiler 131-10 2,805,671 9/ 1957 Hackney eta1. 131208 2,855,937 10/1958 Jacknin 13110 2,900,989 8/1959 Davidson131-208 FOREIGN PATENTS 594,997 3/1960 Canada. 310,239 12/ 1955Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Examiner.

1. A CARTRIDGE FOR THE CONDENSATION AND ABSORPTION OF TAR, NICOTINE,MOISTURE, AND CONDENSABLE CHEMICALS AND COMPOUNDS PRESENT IN TOBACCOSMOKE COMPRISING: A CYLINDRICAL BODY; A MULTIPLICITY OF CONDENSING ANDABSORBING RIBBON ASSEMBLIES NESTED WITHIN THE BODY; EACH RIBBON ASSEMBLYCONSISTING OF A THIN AND NARROW MOISTURE ABSORBING RIBBON SUPPORT; APLURALITY OF SMOKE RESTRICTING AND MOISTURE ABSORBING FIBERS AT THEIRONE ENDS BONDED TO AND PROJECTING FROM SAID SUPPORTS; AND A PLURALITY OFELONGATED SPACED HEAT ABSORBING RIBBONS OF A HIGH HEAT ABSORBINGMATERIAL, INTERMINGLED WITH SAID RIBBON ASSEMBLIES; SAID HEAT ABSORBINGRIBBONS AND THE SMOKE RESTRICTING AND MOISTURE ABSORBING FIBER RIBBONSUPPORTS BEING PARALLEL TO THE BODY AXIS AND THE PATH OF SMOKE; SAIDSMOKE RESTRICTING AND MOISTURE ABSORBING FIBERS BEING PERPENDICULAR TOTHE PATH OF SAID SMOKE.